New to the scene

[solo33]

I just purchased two 55 gallon tanks and one penguin 350 bio-wheel filter. I havent decided what I am going to do with the second tank. I have only one set up with just water in it thats been sitting for almost two days now and I plan on putting sand in within the next couple days. My questions are: I plan on getting the sand at a local lake, just wondering if that would work after I wash it off? Also the fish I plan on putting in it are a couple bluegill, green spotted sunfish, and a couple other small game fish like that, would these fish be good for starting out? Also the water I got sitting in the water, would it be ready in a couple days after I put the sand in to introduce a couple fish aslong as the ammonia levels are down? Do I need a light source for those type of game fish? Thats all I have for now but Iam sure I will have more questions in the future. Thanks Brett

 

[mattrox]

You really should do a fishless cycle with pure ammonia from the hardware store.

Also, use a dechlorinator. If your water supply uses chloramines they don't break down or dissipate by leaving the water sit.

Also pool filter sand is pretty cheap, already in a bag and a lot easier to clean than sand from the lake.... plus less environmental damage... 1 50lb bag will be enough for a 55 gal.

A light will show off the fish's colours better. They don't need it to live.

Hope that helped.

 

[JohnPaul]

I would avoid lake sand at all costs. It likely has all sorts of microbial life, from bacteria to viruses to God knows what else, as well as more macroscopic life like worms, hydra, planaria, etc, etc. in it that you really probably don't want in your tank. Plus if the lake is at all polluted you could be introducing organics, toxins, heavy metals, etc. into your tank as well. On top of all of that, if you are just scooping the sand yourself you are likely to be getting the top layer, which is going to be silty and likely quite fine, and thus you run the risk of really gunking up your filter.

A 50 lb. bag of pool filter sand will serve you much better, and you can buy one for about $6.

Regarding fish: A 55g tank is 48" long. Bluegill can grow to 16". There is no way a 55g is anywhere close to a large enough tank to house them. The fish will be about 1/4 or even 1/3 the size of the whole length of the tank! I am less familiar with the other species you mention but I have my doubts any "game" fish is going to fit in a 55g. Anything that gets more than 6" in length is probably too large a fish to keep in the tank you currently have. You probably need to look at a tank triple that size if not larger, something in the 150g to 180g range for something like adult bluegills. You could certainly house babies in the 55g but as they grow you would need to move them to a larger tank.

 

[solo33]

Thanks guys for the information. I will pick up some pool filter sand tomorrow. As far as the bluegill, maybe i will skip them and get some green sunfish instead. I know they dont grow to be that big. Also could i get some info on dechlorinator? What exactly is it and how do I go about using it? Thanks Brett

 

[mattrox]

Tap Water Conditioner

This is what I use.

 

[dkpate]

I like Seachem's Prime, it lasts forever.

Here's the site:

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Prime.html

 

[solo33]

I got another question...what about taking dirftwood from a river to put in the tank after a guy washed it off and cleaned as much crap off it as he could? Thanks Brett

 

[mattrox]

After cleaning of all the dirt, use bleach it clean in up and soak it for several days in bleach.

 

[dkpate]

Make sure you soak it again to get the bleach out.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Something else to consider... You may want to check your state laws regarding catching fish in the wild, as well as housing them in an aquarium. A lot of states restrict what you can and cannot keep in an aquarium from the wild. I know here in Ky, there are several restrictions, some can with a permit, others in educational institutions, etc...

 

[mattrox]

After cleaning of all the dirt, use bleach it clean in up and soak it for several days in bleach.

Dechlorinator will get rid of the bleach.

 

[MarkA123]

I don't reccamond using anything from the lake to put in your aquarium(s). I use caribsea freshwater sand and I love it. It's really expensive compared to po filter sand, the cheapest price I could find was 26.99 per 10lb bag. All of the online stores had them for like 10 dollars but shipping was like 25 dollars because of the add on weight charge. It's up to you what kind of sand you want I haven't had any experience with pfs but I would definitely stay away from stuff from the lake. I bought Mopani wood, for 10 dollars the lfs owner gave us a 15 dollar discount because they didn't have any of the fish we wanted and were out of stock of a lot of stuff we were looking for.

 

[solo33]

Went with the pool filter sand, put it in and the water has been dirty for a little over a day now, do I run the filter to clean it up or will that get clogged with sand particles? Also the piece of wood I got I boiled and cleaned off pretty good...except it dont sink yet

 

[dkpate]

DId you rinse the sand really well before you put it in the tank? I would suggest not running the filter, just do water changes. The sand particles will ruin your impeller.
The wood will take a while to sink.

 

[solo33]

Bingo..I didnt rinse the sand..just firgured that it would be cleaned off already since I bought it from the pool and spa place. Should I do water changes while my tank is cycling? And how much water at a time?

 

[dkpate]

Well, you will have to get those particles out, so the only answer is to do pwc's. It might slow down your cycle, but a slow cycle is better than a broken filter. You can do two, 10-25% changes twice a day or one 50% change a day. Just keep an eye on your readings and make sure you keep your ammonia up.